Three And Out: Useless Predictions For Texans-Bills

Last week, I predicted a narrow win for your Houston Texans. Instead, the home team picked up a dominant victory over the Saints in which they were never really threatened. Given how routinely I totally miss the mark in "Three and Out," I count that as a success story. That flexible accountability should tell you all you need to know about how much of your upcoming holiday bonus you should wager on what's penned below coming to pass.

1. Did you know that Tyrod Taylor has thrown only 4 INTs all season, with three of those interceptions coming in Week Two, and with no picks at all over his last five games? He also has three games in which he's passed for 3 TDs. He's been far better than I expected this year.

He has not, however, faced a defense that's playing quite as well as the Texans are at the moment. I predict that Taylor's interception count increases to five on the 2015 campaign on Sunday, he gets sacked three times, and that he completes less than 60% of his passes.

2. Although Buffalo's defense has quite a bit of talent, they've disappointed this year. J.J. Watt has more sacks by himself than the Bills' front seven combined. Adding a degree of difficulty to Buffalo's task on Sunday is that the Texans' offensive line is starting to become a pronounced strength of the team. While I foresee the Bills sacking Brian Hoyer once and being the recipient of a single Hoyer interception, Houston's offensive line will continue to gel and prove to be the much better unit, even if it doesn't translate into success for the Texans' running game. Which it won't, as the Texans will rush for 78 yards total on the afternoon.

3. After being kept out of the end zone last week, DeAndre Hopkins will get loose for a touchdown in Buffalo, but the story of the day for the Texans' passing game will come via Ryan Griffin and Cecil Shorts III. Those two will work the short middle of the field, combining for 135 receiving yards and a touchdown.  I'm tempted to call a rushing touchdown for Shorts out of the wildcat formation, but I won't.

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT: I have an ominous feeling about this game. I can't put my finger on it. It may be gas, or it may be the self-defeating prophecy of all the good times the Texans have given us over the last month having to come to an end. Whatever it is, I don't think it's rational, and what kind of hypocrite would I be if I embraced the irrational when I so frequently mock my wife for doing the same? A typical exchange:

Wife: I really think this is the house/car/fajita plate for us.

Me: Why?

Wife: It just speaks to me. I think this is where we're supposed to be/what we're supposed to buy/the meal for us  I just have a feeling.

Me: An inanimate object spoke to you? You know that's entirely absurd, right? It's bereft of all logic.

Wife: I don't care. I know how I feel.

Me: Me too. I know that I feel like I need a drink.

Texans 24, Bills 21.

Texans vs Bills coverage
Buffalo Rumblings